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Turkey detains nine Britons seeking to enter Syria

Turkey's army says it detained the nine Britons, who were trying to cross into Syria illegally. Turkish territory is increasingly being used by would-be Western jihadists wishing to fight in Syria.

The British citizens were arrested in Turkey's Hatay province near the Syrian border on Wednesday. It is not clear why these people - whose identities have not been disclosed by Turkish authorities - were trying to get into Syria.

Some sources claim the group consists of three men, two women and four children.

"Nine people of British nationality were arrested on the border, trying to enter Syria from Turkey," the army wrote in a statement on its website.

'Islamic State' recruits

Western nationals wishing to join the Middle Eastern jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq have frequently taken routes through Turkey into the war-torn countries. Thousands of foreigners have joined the ranks of militant group "Islamic State" (IS).